HEADLINE NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

Maoists attack Sindhuli police post, 49 killed

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Sept 8: Forty-nine policemen were killed and 21 others injured when the Maoist terrorists attacked the Bhiman Area Police Post in Sindhuli, 170 kilometres south east of Kathmandu, Saturday night, the Home Ministry said today.

The Maoists mayhem came at a time when Hindu women are preparing to observe a rigorous 24-hour fasting (Monday) seeking long life of their husbands or to find a good one. This is the biggest offensive carried out by the Maoists since the state of emergency was lifted on August 28.

Those killed include a police inspector, one assistance police inspector, three deputy assistance police inspectors, 13 sergeants and 31 constables. Of the 21 injured, five, who sustained serious injuries, have been airlifted to Kathmandu for treatment.

The terrorists blew up the police station and took away weapons. "Two bodies of the terrorists in combat fatigue were recovered from the site," the Ministry said. Local people say the Maoists may also have suffered a big loss in the almost five-hour long battle.

There were 73 police personnel at the police station, under the command of Inspector Krishna Prasad Shrestha, when the Maoists attacked. "The Maoists, who came in hundreds, attacked the police post at about 11: 45 Saturday night and the fighting continued until 4:30 the next morning," said assistant Chief District Officer Surendra Paudel while talking to The Rising Nepal.

An injured policeman, who is receiving treatment at the Birendra Police Hospital, said that they were attacked from all sides. "We fought for almost five hours, but when our commander fell, and we were badly outnumbered, there was little we could do," he said. He said they were carrying modern weapons such as GPMG, SMG and LMG, looted from the security forces in the past. Doctors say the conditions of most of the injured are not serious.

The police post lies 18 kilometres away from the district headquarters Sindhulimadi on the banks of the Kamala River, to the north of which lies a steep hill. The Bhiman area police post was the only one outside the district headquarters.

Before the attack, the terrorists had felled trees to create barricades and laid ambushes along the highways to prevent reinforcement from coming in.

The Home Ministry said reinforcement, consisting of the Royal Nepalese Army, Armed Police Force and the Civilian Police, had to clear the obstruction before they could reach Bhiman to begin rescue and relief works.

Intensive search operations are underway to nab the terrorists, the Ministry said.

State Minister for Home Devendra Raj Kandel and Inspector General of Police Pradeep Shumsher JBR and acting Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Pyarjung Thapa went to the incidence site this morning and inspected the ongoing operation of the security forces.

Meanwhile, the Defence Ministry said that a soldier of the reinforcement team was injured when he was caught in an ambush laid by the terrorists.

The Ministry said that the security forces have intensified the search operation by setting up blockades and checkpoints to prevent the terrorists from escaping.

One soldier died when the terrorists attacked a patrol of the security force at Ratnanagar of Chitwan district on Saturday. In Nuwakot, the terrorists killed an ex-army man of the RNA, Ram Bahadur Tamang, at Chhap on Friday.

A suspect was killed today in the search operation of the security forces in the forests of Phulchowki hills of Lalitpur district.

In their search operations at Maheshpur of Jhapa district on Friday, the security forces have found detonator 17, two kg pellets of musket, bullets of guns and pistols, spare parts of weapons, equipment used for setting ambushes, documents related to terrorists and logistics. They have also arrested two suspects, the Ministry said.

Meanwhile, quoting Sindhuli district administration office, RSS adds: those killed include police inspector Krishna Bahadur Shrestha (Nawalparasi), sub-inspector Balram Bhattarai (Jhapa) and assistant sub-inspectors Avadh Kishore Singh (Sarlahi), Tek Bahadur Shrestha (Dolakha) and Surendra Basnet (Lalitpur).

Likewise, police head constables Gauri Raya Yadav (Mahottari), Udit Dangal (Sindhupalchok), Shiva Karki (Ramechhap), Bhim Kaji Shrestha (Chitwan), Kumbha Bahadur Magar (Palpa), Ram Bahadur Tamang (Ramechhap), Ram Chandra Chaudhari (Bara), Lila Bahadur Nepali (Dhading), Purna Bahadur Pariyar (Chitwan), Ram Prasad Mandal (Saptari), Amrit Singh Thing (Sindhuli), Sukra Bahadur Karki (Ramechhap) and Ram Chandra Chaudhari (Sarlahi) also attained martyrdom in the incident.
Police constables killed in the incident are Kumar Karki (Dolakha), Dharma Lal Raut (Bara), Rameshwar Thakur (Mahottari), Birendra Baitha ([Arsa), Indra Bahadur Shrestha (Sunsari), Nanda Bahadur Baniya (Gorkha), Gajendra Yadav (Saptari), Kaji Bahadur Raut (Siraha), Srikanta Mishra (Sarlahi), Udaya Pun Rajput (Sarlahi), Tasbir Sunuwar (Gorkha), Prafulla Chandra Sharma (Rautahat), Binod Mishra (Sarlahi), Taranath Gautam (Taplejung), Babulal Chaudhari (Sarlahi), Nemi Lal Yadav (Bara), Mohan Kumar Gurung (Sunsari), Surendra Chaudhari (Bara), Bikal Chaudhari (Bara), Sundar Bhagawan Singh (Sarlahi), Shyam Sundar Saha (Mahottari), Paras Lal Prasad Yadav (Bara), Amanulla Mian (Bara), Manoj Thakur (Mahottari), Mohan Kant Mandal (Morang), Jitendra Prasad Yadav (Saptari), Hit Lal Prasad Yadav (Sarlahi), Surya Bahadur Thapa (Syangja), Tirtha Man Thapa (Gorkha), Prem Bahadur Chaudhari (Nawalparasi) and Subodh Kumar.

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